Reading News: Mem Fox’s Birthday
March 5th is Mem Fox’s birthday. Fox has authored over forty books for children and several books for adults. As a student, professor, and author on literacy, Fox is an avid proponent of reading aloud to kids. Her book Reading Magic explains how and why reading to your kids is one of the best things you can do for them. And she explores how to do it well.
Fox cuts it all down to the basics in her Ten Read-Aloud Commandments. Here are the first three…
1. Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud.
2. Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read.
3. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot.
Go here to read the rest.
Literary Mama contributors often explore reading and sharing books with their kids.
In her column “How Does your Bookshelf Grow”, read Rebecca Steinitz’s piece entitled Swimming, Reading, Teaching, Learning, where she reflects on teaching her children to read.
Dana Haight Cattani’s essay Little Woman is a mom’s reflection on sharing Alcott’s Little Women with her own little woman.
At Mem Fox’s website, you can listen to or read the Introduction of Reading Magic and discover how reading to your kids can change their lives, and yours.